Machine for operating upon valve-bodies.



F. F. BRUCKER.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON VALVE BODIES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. 1916.

Patented June 20, 1-916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

BMW

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rrda'nwn F. F. BRUCKER.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON VALVE BODIES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. 1916.

Patented June 20, 1916.

3 SHEETS-$HEET 2.

Wen

m 3. I n w v u n m 3 J P F. F. BRUCKER.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON VALVE BODIES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 51- I916.

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tirirrnp FERDINAND FRANCIS BRUCKER, 0F AKRON, OI-IID, ASSIGNOR TO THE MILLER RUBBER (10., OF AKBQN', OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

IVLACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON VALVE-BODIES.

Application filed February 5, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND F. Bnucnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Operating upon Valve-Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a machine for operating upon blanks or bodies designed for use as valves for inflatable articles, such as shown for example in Letters Patent of the United States #1,l36,932, dated April 27th, 1915 for improved toy balloons. The type of valve for which the present machine is designed, is that shown in Figure l of said patent, in which the body is in the form of a truncated cone or of cup shape and selfclosing valve is formed by a transverse slit extending partially across the upper end of said body forming a flap which is connected to the body by a narrow strip or unsevered portion of the rubber which constitutes the hinge. In the manufacture of such valves, I find it desirable to mold them in considerable numbers connected by a base web and (preferably) with the larger end reinforced as by a metal ring molded therein. When these bodies are separated it leaves a rough or uneven circumferential flange or film of rubber projecting laterally from the larger end, and to complete or finish the valve this requires to be trimmed 0E and the lateral slit made at the smaller end.

The present machine is designed to perform these operations expeditiously and economically and the invention comprises the novel features of construction and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and defined in the appended claims, an embodiment of the invention being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view, and Fig. 2 a plan view of a molded valve body as it appears prior to being operated upon by my finishing machine. Fig. 3 is a plan view of said machine. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same, with parts omitted. Fig. 5 is an end elevation, with parts in section and parts omitted. Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section through the trimming cutters and their driving gears and mountings, taken on Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2t), 1916.

Serial No. 76,494.

the line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the pivotally adjustable bearing for the slitting cutter. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the same. Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are details of the slitting cutter mechanism, and Fig. 12 is a fragmental section through. the rotary table, showing the detail construction of the work-carrying rollers and studs. Fig. 13 is a detail view.

Referring by reference characters to this drawing A designates the body of the valve (1 the portion to be slitted to form the valve flap, and a the flange or web to be trimmed.

The machine comprises a traveling table 1 which, for convenience, is made circular and adapted to rotate upon its axis in (preferably) a horizontal. plane. This table may be driven in any suitable manner but I have shown, as the means for rotating it, a worm 9 which engages a worm wheel 8 fast on the vertical shaft 2 which supports the table, said worm 9 being carried by a shaft 30, to which motion is imparted from the main drive shaft 28 through miter gears 19 and 20.

Power may be supplied to the main drive shaft by loosely mounted .belt pulley 22, having connected therewith a clutch member 23 adapted to be engaged by a movable clutch member 24 splined on shaft 28, a stop 43 being provided to limit the movement of clutch member 24 on its disengaging movement.

The table 1 carries at or near its peripheral edge a plurality of vertically disposed pins or hearing studs 49, upon which are journaled rollers 48 of truncated cone shape adapted to enter the interior of the valve bodies and hold and carry them past the finishing devices hereinafter described.

The first of the finishing devices comprises means for cutting or trimming off the irregular flange of rubber at the base of the valve body and such means is shown as comprising a pair of overlapping rotary disk shaped cutters 40 and 41 located in close proximity to the edge of the table and in such relation thereto as to trim off said irregular film or flange from the valve body. In order that these cutters may trim on a line concentric to the valve body or in an even circle around the same, I provide means forrotating the valve body as it comes into operative relation to the cutters, such means,

7 in the present embodiment, taking the form of a rotarydisk 17 having a roughened or r body, while at the same time holding it seatknurled edge and upported by a shaft% journaled in a fixed bearing 4. This shaft is held in such an inclined position that the planes tangent to the periphery of thedisk and the'valve body at their point of contact coincide,"whereby the rotation of the disk imparts a similar motion to the valve ed on its supporting roller. The disk 17 is made of large diameter and arranged so that by the time the valve body has approached near enough to the cutters 40 and 11 to enable them to act, said valve body has engaged. the disk and is rapidly rotated thereby, resulting in an even circumferential trimming of said film or flange.

- 'The'shaft'25 supporting the knurled disk may be driven in any suitable manner, a convenient means being miter gears 21 and 20, the former fast on the shaft25 and the latteron shaft 27. Motion is imparted to shaft 27 through gears 31 and 32, the

latter meshing with gear 13 fast on shaft 7 28. Itwill be understood that the speed of rotation of disk 17 is timed to coact properly withthe cutting action of the cutting disks. ln order tosteady the table at the point where the cutters and roller 17 act, I provide a roller Mjournaled on a stud 4L4 carried by a bracket 7, the under side of the table carrying an annular track 13 bearing on said roller 14:.

It 1s dQSIIZLblOtO provide means for adjusting the disk 17 radially of the table so as to vary itsidistance from the rollers according to size of valves or desired pressure. To efiect this, bearing 1 is supported by a curved arm 4: from a member 4 through which shaft 27 passes and from which it is supported. 'Projecting from member 49 1s a second arm 43 which 1s connected by bolt 29 to bracket 27 a which sup justable toward and from the face of cut-.

ter through suitable means, such as having the intermediate portion of shaft 31 threaded and providing the same with threaded bearing and lock nuts 36 and 37 coacting with the spaced bearings 11 of frame 11. The shaft 32 is also adjustable as to end thrust by means of lock nuts or washers 33 and to provide for vertical adjustment, said shaft 32 is supported in bearings 10 adjustably bolted to the frame.

Frame 11 is made adjustable toward and from the table, conveniently by providing it with a dove tailed recess in its base (as shown in Fig. which is engaged by a corresponding guide 3 carried by the base or frame 3 of the machine. Set screws 3, passing through the wall of the slotted portion 'of the bracket 11 and bearing against a wear plate 3, serve to lock the parts in adjusted position.

In order to ell'ect the transverse slitting of the upper or smaller end of the valve body to form the valve proper, I provide a cutter, preferably of the circular or disk type indicated at 50. This has a very thin and razor like edge and it is set to rotate in a plane parallel with the plane of the table or so as to cut transversely of-the valve body. It is required to be capable of very accurate adjustment toward and from the table so as that its edge may out just far enough to form the valve flaps, and yet leave uncut the small integral part which serves as a hinge. It is also necessary that it should be capable of vertical adjustment to enable the cut to be made at exactly the right height with regard to the valve body; and also that it shall be readily capable of being rcsharpened or replaced by a fresh one. A convenient manner of accomplishingthesc results is shown in the drawings, in which the cutting disk is shown as removably clamped to the head of a taper spindle 52 which fits within the tapered bore of a cylindrical bushing 51-. This latter is journaled in a bearing 55 carried by an arm 56 pivotally mounted at 57 on the frame member 58. An angular oil'sct portion 56 of said arm has an arc-shaped slot engaging a stationary pin 59, which serves to steady said arm and limit its movement,

The bushing 54 is cxteriorly threaded at both ends and is provided with threaded rings 54 and 5 1 which maintain it at the proper elevation. The spindle carries near the lower end means for the application of power to rotate the cutter, which means is shown as a belt pulley 60, adapt ed to be driven from an independent motor (not shown) capable of giving the high speed desired for this cutter.

Upper and lower lock nuts 52 and 52 engage threaded portions of the spindle for holding it in the bushing.

Ad ustment of'the cutter radially ot the table is secured by swinging it on its pivotal "axis 57 by means of rod (30 threaded through a sleeve (31 rotatably mounted in :1 lug or bracket 62 and having collars or flanges 61 and 61 bearlng against opposite sides of said bracket, said sleeve being capable of being turned by a knurled head (33 to draw the rod 60 in or out.

The rod is provided at 1ts opposite end with an elongated opening with which engages a pm 6% on the arm 56. lVater may be supplied to the cutter in any convenient manner.

In order to hold the valve bodies against rotation while they are passing the slitting cutter 50, I provide a bracket (55 carried by a fixed support and having a pair 01 spring fingers 65 designed to straddle the valve bodies and to press down upon the base flanges on each side of the supporting rollers 48 with a yielding action, the friction of which is sutlicient to hold the valve bodies against rotation and prevent the cutter 50 from completely cutting oil the top.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination, an endless moving carrier, rotary supports for carrying articles to be trimmed with their edges projected beyond the edge of the carrier, a pair of circular trimming cutters located in proximity I to the edge of said carrier and operating in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the carrier, and means for rotating the articles successively as they come into operative relation to the cutters.

2. In combination, an endless moving carrier, rotary supports for carrying articles to be trimmed with their edges projected beyond the edge of the carrier, a pair of circular trimming cutters located at a fixed point and adapted to operate successively upon said articles during the movement of the carrier and operating in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the carrier, and means located opposite said trimming means and adapted to contact with said articles to rotate them in succession as they come into operative position with relation to said outters.

3. In combination, an endless moving carrier, rotary supports for articles to be trimmed carried thereby, trimming means located at a fixed point and adapted to operate successively upon said articles, and a disk adapted to contact with said articles and impart rotary movement thereto While they are being acted upon by said trimming means.

4. In combination, a rotary table, supports for articles to be trimmed circumferentially arranged thereon, a pair of coacting circular trimming cutters located at a fixed point in proximity to the edge oi. said table, and a rotary disk adapted to contact with said articles and rotate the same during the trimming operation.

5. A machine of the class described comprising a support for a hollow article of substantially cup-shape having a closed end and a device for forming a transverse slit extending part way through said article at a suitable distance from said closed end.

6. A machine of the class described comprising a support for a hollow article having a projection on the end thereof, and a device for forming a transverse slit extending part way through said projection.

7. A machine of the class described comprising a. carrier, rotary supports for carrying hollow articles having closed tops and annular base flanges, said supports holding said articles with the base flanges projecting beyond the edge of the carrier, and cooperating cutters working in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the carrier and in proximity to the edge thereof to trim said base flanges, and means to rotate said articles while they are being acted upon by said. cutters.

8. In combination a traveling carrier, rotary supports on said carrier for hollow articles having annular base flanges and closed tops, cutting means operating in a vertical plane perpendicular to the carrier for trimming said base flanges, means for rotating said articles while being acted upon by said cutting means, and slitting means spaced from said cutting means and operating in a plane parallel with the carrier for partially severing the closed tops of the articles.

9. In combination a traveling carrier, rotary supports on said carrier for hollow articles having annular base flanges and closed tops, cutting means operating in a vertical plane perpendicular to the carrier for trimming said base flanges, means for rotating said articles While being acted upon by said cutting means, and slitting means spaced from said cutting means and operating in a plane parallel with the carrier for partially severing the closed tops of the articles, and means for holding said articles against rotation While they are in operative relation to said slitting means.

10. In combination, a movable table, supports for cup shaped articles arranged near the edge of the table, cutting means located at a fixed point and operating in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the table near the edge of the table, means for rotating the articles as they successively come into operative relation to said cutting means, and means located at another fixed point and operating in a plane parallel with the plane of the table.

11. In combination, a rotary table, rotary supports for cup shaped articles carried circumferentially thereby, a pair of coa-cting disk shaped cutters operating in planes perpendicular to the plane of the table, means for rotating said articles as they successively come into operative relation to said cutters, and a second rotary cutter operating in a plane parallel to but above the table and having its edge adapted to slit said articles above the tops of the supports.

12. In combination, a carrier having a support for a hollow article formed With a marginal flange and a closed top, a slitting knife operating in. a plane parallel to the plane of the carrier for partially severing said closed top, and means engaging said 'inarginal flange. to hold said article 1n proper position While being slitted.

13. In combination, a traveling carrier having a support for a hollow article With a marginal flange and closed top, a slitting knife located at a fixed point for slitting said closed top, and a pair of spring lingers adapted to bear down upon said marginal flange upon oppositesides of said article While it is being acted upon by said slitting knife.

FERDINAND FRANCIS BRUCKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, 1 Washington, D. C. 

